Liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus for electronic elements

ABSTRACT

A liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus for electronic elements comprises an air fan and a liquid-cooling heat dissipation module. The air fan includes a frame and a vane installed on the frame to provide cooling airflow. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation module includes a liquid delivery duct, a liquid return duct, a heat collection element connected to the liquid delivery duct and liquid return duct and coupled with an electronic element to absorb heat, a heat dissipation element to receive the heat from the heat collection element through the liquid return duct and receive the cooling airflow to lower the heat, and a liquid delivery element to provide kinetic energy to drive circulation of the heat from the liquid delivery duct to the liquid return duct. The heat dissipation element and liquid delivery element form a housing space to hold the vane of the air fan.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a liquid-cooling heat dissipationapparatus for electronic elements and particularly to a liquid-coolingheat dissipation apparatus equipped with an air fan located between aheat dissipation element and a liquid delivery element to reduce numberof ducts and shrink the size thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The performance of central processors often is critical to theperformance of computer information equipments. With advance ofsemiconductor manufacturing process, these days the clock cycle of thecentral processors is much faster than the past. On the other hand, thecentral processors also consume a greater amount of power and generatemuch more waste heat. If the waste heat is not being properly handledand is accumulated in the central processors, the performances of thecentral processors are affected and result in not proper functioning.

To resolve the problem caused by the waste heat, most central processorsnowadays are equipped with a cooling means to transfer or disperse heat.In the past the cooling means disperses heat via air cooling through acooling fan to continuously blow external cooled air to the surface ofthe central processor. But the air cooling approach cannot effectivelydispel heat due to constraints of cooling fan structure and thedeployable quantity. Thus liquid cooling using cooling fluid as heatconductive medium has gradually being adopted. Compared with air-coolingheat dissipation, the liquid-cooling heat dissipation can dispel wasteheat of the central processor more efficiently.

A conventional liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus mainly includesa pump, a radiator and a heat sink. These elements are distributed incomputer information equipments and connected to each other through aplurality of ducts. The ducts are filled with cooling fluid which flowsamong the elements and absorbs waste heat generated by the centralprocessor through the heat sink, and disperses the waste heat via theradiator. While liquid-cooling heat dissipation provides many advantagesover the air cooling heat dissipation, it has to use the cooling fluidas the heat conductive medium and requires multiple sets of ducts toconnect various elements. As a result, the internal elements of thecomputer information equipments cannot be changed or repaired andmaintained easily due to the constraints of the ducts.

To remedy the problems caused by the ducts, some liquid-cooling heatdissipation apparatus with simplified ducts have been developed, such asU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,971,632 and 7,325,591. They disclose a liquid-coolingheat dissipation apparatus that combines a heat sink and a pump toreduce the ducts. The heat sink mainly is designed according to thecentral processor. The flow speed of the cooling liquid is determined bythe pressure provided by the pump that depends on the pump structure,such as the size of impeller. The pump is installed on the heat sink,thus is constrained and cannot be adjusted as required. On the otherhand, although the pump mounted onto the heat sink can effectivelychannel the cooling liquid to dissipate the waste heat via the heatsink, the cooling liquid is driven by the pump to the radiator forcooling before heat exchange of the waste heat is finished. As a result,cooling effect is not as desirable as expected.

There are also other conventional techniques that combine the pump andradiator. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 7,527,085 discloses such atechnique. While it overcomes the problem resulted from the ducts, itinstalls the pump on a corner of the radiator, thus most of the pumpwould extend outside the radiator that results in a bigger size afterinstallation. As miniaturization is the prevailing trend of the computerinformation equipments now, the aforesaid conventional structure doesmeet the present requirement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to solve the problem ofthe conventional liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus that resultsin difficulty for changing or repairing and maintenance of internalelements of computer information equipments.

Another object of the invention is to reduce space needed forinstallation of the liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus.

To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention provides aliquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus for electronic elements. Itcomprises an air fan and a liquid-cooling heat dissipation module. Theair fan includes a frame and a vane installed on the frame to providecooling airflow. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation module includes aliquid delivery duct, a liquid return duct, a heat collection elementconnected to the liquid delivery duct and liquid return duct and coupledwith an electronic element to absorb heat, a heat dissipation element toreceive the heat from the heat collection element through the liquidreturn duct and receive the cooling airflow to lower the heat, and aliquid delivery element to provide kinetic energy to drive circulationof the heat from the liquid return duct to the liquid delivery duct. Theheat dissipation element and liquid delivery element form a housingspace between them to hold the vane of the air fan.

In one embodiment the liquid delivery element is installed on one sideof the air fan opposing to the heat dissipation element and formed at adiameter smaller than that of the vane. The liquid delivery element ispreferably located in the center of the vane.

In another embodiment the liquid delivery element is installed on oneside of the air fan via the liquid delivery duct and liquid return ductthat serve as support racks. The frame of the air fan is fastened to theheat dissipation element through fastening elements and interposedbetween the heat dissipation element and liquid delivery element.

In yet another embodiment the frame of the air fan is extended to form ahousing portion between the frame and the vane to hold the liquiddelivery element. The vane and liquid delivery element have a same drivebearing. The frame of the air fan is fastened to the heat dissipationelement through fastening elements.

In yet another embodiment the frame of the air fan is extended to form ahousing portion on one side opposing the vane to hold the liquiddelivery element. The vane and liquid delivery element have a same drivebearing. The frame of the air fan is fastened to the heat dissipationelement through fastening elements.

By means of the construction set forth above, compared with theconventional liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus, the inventionprovides features as follow:

1. Resolve the problem of difficult replacement or repair andmaintenance of the internal elements in the computer informationequipment due to the ducts. The invention has the air fan installedbetween the liquid delivery element and heat dissipation element withoutinstalling longer ducts between them, hence the internal elements of thecomputer information equipment are not constrained by the ducts anymore,and replacement or repair and maintenance of the internal elements inthe computer information equipment are simpler.

2. Smaller installation space. The invention couples the air fan andliquid delivery element in such a way that can save extra location andspace needed for installation of the pump.

The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages ofthe invention will be more readily apparent from the following detaileddescription, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the liquid-cooling heatdissipation apparatus for electronic elements of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the liquid-cooling heatdissipation apparatus for electronic elements of the invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the air fan and pump according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the heat dissipation element according toan embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of cooling fluid flow according to anembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of installation of the air fan and liquiddelivery element according to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the air fan and liquid delivery elementaccording to another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of yet another embodiment of the inventionwith multiple sets of the liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 for an embodiment of the liquid-coolingheat dissipation apparatus 1 for electronic elements of the invention.It is mainly installed in computer information equipment orelectromechanical equipment to dispel heat generated by electronicelements thereof during operation. The liquid-cooling heat dissipationapparatus 1 comprises an air fan 10 and a liquid-cooling heatdissipation module 20. The air fan 10 includes a frame 11 and a vane 12installed on the frame 11 to provide cooling airflow. The liquid-coolingheat dissipation module 20 includes a liquid delivery duct 21, a liquidreturn duct 22, a heat collection element 23 connected to the liquiddelivery duct 21 and liquid return duct 22 and coupled with theelectronic element to absorb heat, a heat dissipation element 24 toreceive the heat from the heat collection element 23 through the liquidreturn duct 22 and receive the cooling airflow to lower the heat, and aliquid delivery element 25 to provide kinetic energy to drivecirculation of the heat from the liquid delivery duct 21 to the liquidreturn duct 22. The heat dissipation element 24 and liquid deliveryelement 25 form a housing space S1 between them to hold the air fan 10.The liquid delivery element 25 can be a pump. The heat collectionelement 23 can be a liquid-cooling heat conductive head or a heat sink.

The liquid-cooling heat dissipation module 20 can be constructedaccording to varying requirements. The embodiments depicted herein servemerely for illustrative purpose and are not the limitations of theinvention. Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2, in this embodiment the liquiddelivery duct 21 includes a first liquid delivery duct 211 bridging theheat collection element 23 and heat dissipation element 24, and a secondliquid delivery duct 212 bridging the heat dissipation element 24 andliquid delivery element 25. The liquid return duct 22 has a first liquidreturn duct 221 bridging the heat dissipation element 24 and liquiddelivery element 25, and a second liquid return duct 222 bridging theheat collection element 23 and heat dissipation element 24. The heatcollection element 23 has a flow duct 231 inside and a water inlet 232and a water outlet 233 at two ends of the flow duct 231. The water inlet232 is connected to the second liquid return duct 222. The water outlet233 is connected to the first liquid delivery duct 211. In addition, theflow duct 231 has at least one heat collection fin on the inner side toabsorb heat generated by the electronic element while the heatcollection element 23 is coupled with the electronic element.

Please also refer to FIG. 3, the liquid delivery element 25 has apressurized chamber 251 formed therein and a liquid delivery port 252and a liquid return port 253 located on the pressurized chamber 251. Theliquid delivery port 252 is connected to the first liquid return duct221. The liquid return port 253 is connected to the second liquiddelivery duct 212. The pressurized chamber 251 has an impeller 254inside to provide kinetic energy.

Please refer to FIG. 4, the heat dissipation element 24 has a pluralityof fluid ducts 241 and radiation fins 242 between any two neighboringfluid ducts 241. The fluid ducts 241 have two ends formed respectively afirst water intake portion 243 connected to the first liquid deliveryduct 211, a first water discharge portion 244 connected to the secondliquid delivery duct 212 and the first water intake portion 243 via thefluid ducts 241, a second water intake portion 245 connected to thefirst liquid return duct 221, and a second water discharge portion 246connected to the second liquid return duct 221 and second water intakeportion 245 via the fluid ducts 241.

Please refer to FIG. 5, when the liquid-cooling heat dissipationapparatus 1 of the invention is in operation, all the aforesaid elementsare filled with cooling fluid. When the invention is energized byelectricity, the air fan 10 and liquid delivery element 25 are driven atthe same time. The vane 12 of the air fan 10 spins to generate coolingairflow blowing to the heat dissipation element 24 to generate heatexchange in the cooling fluid. The liquid delivery element 25 providesthe kinetic energy to drive the cooling fluid filled in the elements toflow. Also referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, take the heat collection element23 as a start point for instance, the cooling fluid flows in thedirection as follows: flow duct 231→water outlet 233→first liquiddelivery duct 211→first water intake portion 243→first water dischargeportion 244→second liquid delivery duct 212→liquid return port253→pressurized chamber 251→liquid delivery port 252→first liquid returnduct 221→second water intake portion 245→second water discharge portion246→second liquid return duct 222→water inlet 232→flow duct 231. Thus acirculation continues. The heat collection element 23 absorbs heat fromthe electronic element 30 and performs heat exchange with the coolingfluid in the flow duct 231. The cooling fluid is driven to flow to theheat dissipation element 24 which receives the cooling airflow from theair fan 10 to disperse the heat absorbed by the cooling airflow; whenthe cooling fluid flows again through the heat collection element 23,another cycle of heat exchange takes place. As such circulationcontinues, the electronic element coupled with the heat collectionelement 23 can be cooled as desired. The flow direction of the coolingfluid previously discussed serves merely as an example and is not thelimitation of the invention.

In one embodiment, the liquid delivery element 25 is installed on oneside of the air fan 10 and formed at a diameter smaller than that of thevane 12. The liquid delivery element 25 is preferably located in thecenter of the vane 12.

Please also refer to FIG. 6 for another embodiment in which, aspreviously discussed, the first liquid delivery duct 211 and secondliquid delivery duct 212 of the liquid delivery duct 21 and first liquidreturn duct 221 and second liquid return duct 222 of the liquid returnduct 22 can be respectively a flexible pliable duct or a fixed hardduct. If the liquid delivery duct 21 and liquid return duct 22 are thepliable ducts, they can be installed as desired; but if they are hardducts, they can function as the support racks. When the second liquiddelivery duct 212 and first liquid return duct 221 are hard ducts, theyserve as support racks to provide a bracing force for the liquiddelivery element 25. As shown in the drawings, the liquid deliveryelement 25 is supported via the second liquid delivery duct 212 andfirst liquid return duct 221 in a suspended manner at one side of theair fan 10. Hence the liquid delivery element 25 can be installedopposing the air fan 10 through the liquid delivery duct 21 and liquidreturn duct 22 that serve as support racks.

Please refer to FIG. 7 for another embodiment of the invention. Theframe 11 of the air fan 10 further includes a housing portion 111extended to one side opposing the vane 12 to hold the liquid deliveryelement 25. Also referring to FIG. 3, aside from the housing portion 111previously discussed, the liquid delivery portion 25 also can be locatedin the housing portion 111 formed between the frame 11 and vane 12.Further referring to FIGS. 2 and 7, the frame 11 can be fastened to theheat dissipation element 24 via fastening elements 13 which can berivets or screws. Furthermore, after installation of the air fan 10 andliquid delivery element 25, the air fan 10 and liquid delivery element25 can be coupled on the same drive bearing. Hence with merely oneelement being electrically energized, such as the liquid deliveryelement 25, the impeller 254 can be driven to spin to drive anotherelement to spin as well. In addition to employing the same drivebearing, different drive bearings also can be used, but is limited tocoaxial drive bearings.

Please refer to FIG. 8 for yet another embodiment with multiple setsadopted. As previously discussed, in addition to the aforesaid effectachieved through the elements set forth above, multiple sets of theliquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus 1 can be deployed in thecomputer information equipment or electromechanical equipment to solvethe problem of lower cooling efficiency occurring to the conventionalliquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus by connecting variouselectronic elements through ducts and circulating the flow of thecooling fluid through the same liquid delivery element. As shown in thedrawings, the liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus 1 and 1 a can beinstalled in the computer information equipment in a distributedfashion, or at the same location in a juxtaposed manner with the heatcollection element 23 of one liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus 1connected to a central processor 31 and another heat collection element23 a of another liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus 1 a connectedto a graphic processor 32 to perform cooling for the electronic elements31 and 32 connected thereto. While only two sets of the liquid-coolingheat dissipation apparatus 1 and 1 a are depicted in this embodiment asan example, in practice even more sets can be employed, and they alsocan use the same heat dissipation element 24 to disperse heat.

As a conclusion, the liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus forelectronic elements of the invention mainly provides the housing spacebetween the heat dissipation element and liquid delivery element to holdthe air fan without installing longer ducts between them, thus canresolve the problem occurring to the conventional techniques, and theconcerns of additionally providing installation location and housingspace for the liquid delivery element also can be eliminated. Itprovides significant improvements over the conventional techniques.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth forthe purpose of disclosure, they are not the limitations of theinvention, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the inventionas well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in theart. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover allembodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus forelectronic elements, comprising: an air fan including a frame and a vaneinstalled on the frame to provide cooling airflow; and a liquid-coolingheat dissipation module including a liquid delivery duct and a liquidreturn duct, a heat collection element connecting to the liquid deliveryduct and the liquid return duct and coupling with an electronic elementto absorb heat, a heat dissipation element to receive the heat from theheat collection element via the liquid return duct and receive thecooling airflow to lower the heat, and a liquid delivery element toprovide kinetic energy to drive circulation of the heat from the liquidreturn duct to the liquid delivery duct; wherein the heat dissipationelement and the liquid delivery element form a housing space betweenthem to hold the vane of the air fan.
 2. The liquid-cooling heatdissipation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquid delivery element isinstalled on one side of the air fan opposing the heat dissipationelement and formed at a diameter smaller than that of the vane.
 3. Theliquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 2, wherein the liquiddelivery element is located in a center of the vane.
 4. Theliquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the liquiddelivery element is installed on one side of the air fan via the liquiddelivery duct and the liquid return duct that serve as support racks. 5.The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 4, wherein theframe of the air fan is fastened to the heat dissipation element throughfastening elements and interposed between the heat dissipation elementand the liquid delivery element.
 6. The liquid-cooling heat dissipationapparatus of claim 1, wherein the frame of the air fan is extended toform a housing portion between the frame and the vane to hold the liquiddelivery element.
 7. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus ofclaim 6, wherein the vane of the air fan and the liquid delivery elementare coupled on a same drive bearing.
 8. The liquid-cooling heatdissipation apparatus of claim 6, wherein the frame of the air fan isfastened to the heat dissipation element through fastening elements. 9.The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 1, wherein theframe of the air fan is extended to form a housing portion on one sideopposing the vane to hold the liquid delivery element.
 10. Theliquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus of claim 9, wherein the vaneof the air fan and the liquid delivery element are coupled on a samedrive bearing.
 11. The liquid-cooling heat dissipation apparatus ofclaim 9, wherein the frame of the air fan is fastened to the heatdissipation element through fastening elements.